Men are more easily broken than myths. Emperor Cynead has usurped command of the Memoridons—Tower-controlled memory witches—and consolidated his reign over the Syldoonian Empire. After escaping the capital city of Sunwrack, Captain Braylar Killcoin and his Jackal company evade pursuit across Urglovia, tasked with reaching deposed emperor Thumaar and helping him recapture the throne. Braylar’s sister, Soffjian, rejoins the Jackals and reveals that Commander Darzaak promised her freedom if she agreed to aid them in breaking Cynead’s grip on the other Memoridons and ousting him. Imperial forces attempt to intercept Braylar’s company before they can reach Thumaar. The Jackals fight through Cynead’s battalions but find themselves trapped along the Godveil. Outmaneuvered and outnumbered, Braylar gambles on some obscure passages that Arki has translated and uses his cursed flail, Bloodsounder, to part the Godveil, leading the Jackals to the other side. There, they encounter the ruins of human civilization, but they also learn that the Deserters who abandoned humanity a millennium ago and created the Veil in their wake are still very much alive. But are they gods? Demons? Monsters? What Braylar, Soffjian, Arki, and the Jackals discover beyond the Godveil will shake an empire, reshape a map, and irrevocably alter the course of history. Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors. "With Chains of the Heretic , Jeff Salyards presents an engrossing tale of a military company forced to flee their homes. When the Jackals of Sunwrack decide to cross the Godveil to escape decimation, they enter into a fantastic and deadly new world. Its an act that redefines them as soldiers, and one which has serious consequences for the Syldoon Empire. This is a journey of survival and personal ambition you don't want to miss." -- Jon Sprunk, author of the Shadow Saga "A rousing conclusion to one of the best military fantasy trilogies of recent years. Salyards's blend of gritty realism, inventive (and delightful creepy!) magic, and sarcastic camaraderie makes for a compelling and satisfying read."--Courtney Schafer, author of the Shattered Sigil trilogy "Where [ Veil of the Deserters ] expanded upon the world and the story of the first,this one rips that world wide open and shoves us headlong into a whole new heapof betrayals. More importantly, where that second book was a textbook example ofhow you build to a climax, Chains of the Heretic schools the genre on how you successfullydeliver it. Seriously, it's that good." -- Beauty in Ruins "I give Chains of the Heretic and Bloodsounder's Arc my highest recommendations; it really is one of my favorite grimdark fantasy series." -- Bookwraiths Jeff Salyards grew up in a small town north of Chicago, where he honed his writing skills, leaning toward stories that were loud, chaotic, and full of irrepressible characters. While his tastes have grown a bit darker and more mature over the years, he’s never lost his fascination for the fantastic. By day he’s a book editor for the American Bar Association, but he writes his own novels by night. Salyards resides in Chicago with his wife and three daughters, and Chains of the Heretic is his third book.